watch it all burn

Durza x Belle; 

When the unfamiliar knight stepped next to the Queen and looked at her, Belle stated back. She didn’t know what came over her to stare back so intensely and not necessarily with anger, but with curiosity and wonder. Then she felt the tip of the sword press against her neck, moving her attention to the knight wielding the sword and then to the Queen. She winced at the pressure, only a bit more and it would pierce her. She wouldn’t even question whether the Queen would actually kill her because she knew she would - yes, she liked her prisoners, but she didn’t hesitate to kill them, either.

Blood started to dribble down from Belle’s thanks to the gash she received from the fight. Her other scratches barely oozing blood, but most of them were drying. “Belle,” Came her answer, voice steady despite the pain and exhaustion. “Belle French,” She stated, pulling her head away from the tip of the soldier’s sword. “You won’t get any answers out of me about anyone else,” She told the Queen, a hard swallow falling down her throat followed by another wince - her eyes moving back to the strange man standing beside her. Now that she had stated her name, she wondered if the Queen was going to kill her right then and there.

Durza stared back at the lady knight, wondering what she thought she saw. He was used to open stares but none so free of fear. After Queen Regina, this woman -- girl seemed more appropriate -- was the first to look upon him with anything but raw horror. He was only a distraction to her until the cold steel touched the white flesh of her throat. 

“Oh come now, child. Certainly the location of your comrades or even your precious mistress isn’t worth your life.” There was a note of incredulity in the queen’s voice as she looked down at the knight. “Tell me where your sisters and brothers in arms are, and I will reward you. This doesn’t have to be difficult.” 

Ancient Language 

What is your favourite elfic word? 

Belle had almost won - she had almost finished the fight that these guards had started with her minutes ago. There were five of them and she managed to down three of them, but not without getting hurt in the process. Some gashes, cuts, bruises, etc, and now she was down on her back with her weapon out of her reach. She still had a knife tucked under her shirt, in the waist band of her pants, but with the blade merely inches away from her neck, and a second guard keeping watch, she had no moves left. 

She stared into the eyes of the man pointing his blade at her, refusing to show any fear and then when another man showed up, this one on a horse, Belle’s gaze switched to him. Who was that, she wondered. She had never seen him before until now nor did she even ever remember hearing about anyone with his looks; blood red hair, white skin - he was very unfamiliar, but given that he rode in on a horse and followed a few steps behind the Queen, Belle wondered if he was one of her trusted guards. There was something…dark about him - something strange.

Her eyes then landed on the Queen, chin raising a little bit when she stopped and demanded her name. Belle remained silent for a few moments, refusing to answer her question and give her that satisfaction. If it came down to it and Belle had to, then she would give her name, but she wouldn’t dare give any information about her fellow Knights or Snow White because she knew that was the Queen’s main target. 

The knight kept silent, and from where Durza stood behind the Queen, he could see the tension knitting together in her shoulders. Her displeasure at being defied. Unbidden, he stepped up to Regina’s side, curious to have a closer look at the woman who had given the Queen’s Black Knights such a fuss. He appeared aloof as his maroon eyes fixed upon woman being questioned.

“You made me curious” she confessed standing up slowly, her hair covered her breast as she did but the rest of her was clearly visible. She had no body hair, apart from on her head and clothes were just not practical when turning in to a dragon.  “What are you? I mean…I can’t…place you” she said looking at him, taking a few steps closer like she wanted a closer look;”you have magic…but you are not…completely human?” she hummed and stopped in her tracks keeping her distance.  “Interesting, my name is Belle…may I ask about yours?” she wanted to know more, she always had a weak spot for new things and always wanted to learn more about them so here she was, off her guard…

They both looked at each other. Durza’s eyes swept over the woman’s frame, but not with the appreciation or hunger that one might see in another man’s eyes when looking upon a woman bare. He was marveling at how such a small thing could shift into something of such size and such power. Listening to her trying to piece together what he was, his eyes shifted to meet hers. 

A thin smile spread across his lips as she asked for his name. It wasn’t a detail that he was particularly willing to part with; not now, when the people of the land he left behind believed him dead, when he could begin anew if he just kept to the shadows. But if he could be kind to this magnificent creature, if he could draw her in then perhaps he could acquire a most valuable ally. Or pawn. 

Such a fair pawn she would be. 

The breathing she was so sure she had heard moments before seemed to have vanished, had whoever had been there left or was she still being watched.  She moved her head towards the trees, her snout sniffing the air trying to find the source of her strange feelings. She smelled something, not a dragon but also not really a human, an animal? No non she had smelled before… Belle was a curious dragon, sometimes to curious for her own good, so she moved towards the source of the scent, maybe a dragon would frighten it? Should she turn back in to her human form? It would leave her more exposed but she was so curious of this new scent that had found.  She lay down in the grass, closing her eyes and felt her body shrink and change again, it took a lot of energy to transform again so soon again so she remained laying in her human form before slowly sitting up;”come out, I’m not dangerous” 

Before his very eyes the dragon shifted back into a human form. Mouth hanging open, he watched through the leaves. It seemed she couldn’t place where he hid, but she remained aware of his presence. Her invitation which came but a moment later confirmed as much.

He couldn’t imagine that she didn’t feel a threat. She could smell his scent, could possibly feel that he was near, and surely she felt his magic. The Shade would have expected a more hostile greeting from any creature of magic, especially a dragon. 

Keeping his guard, the Shade removed himself from hiding, stepping out from behind the foliage which concealed him. He stood in the open, allowing her to see him. His hands hung at his sides but not idly; they hummed with his roused energy, ready to defend should he need to. 

It wasn’t uncommon for Murtagh to wander. Of  course, that also meant it wasn’t uncommon  for him to be punished, but somehow that never managed to stop him. He still had a small spark of that childish curiosity that hadn’t been snuffed out quite yet, and it was that spark that led him  to Durza. 

       Looking up at the man, he was awe-struck. He’d never        quite seen a man like this one, crimson haired and         silver eyed. The word Shade echoes in his mind, a        half memory from an overheard conversation. Was        that was this man was? Was he a Shade?

  “Who are you?”

The awe in the child’s eyes brought him up short. The Shade was accustomed to the practiced indifference he saw in the eyes of those the king kept company with. He could not remember ever seeing wonder in the eyes of an onlooker.

         Perhaps he ought not be surprised that a child’s innocence            might allow for something other than immediate disdain. The            sorcerer wasn't certain how to approach this little encounter.

“Your father hasn’t told you about me?” he asked almost lightly. While Durza knew it was quite likely that the boy hadn’t been informed about Durza or his presence in the king’s company, he would have thought some mention of him might have been made.